Stallworth claimed his constitutional rights were violated when he was stunned twice and bitten twice by a police dog while trying to leave the area of the fights that spilled on to nearby streets.

Smalls and King were bitten by the dog that the state trooper was handling, D'Amato said. The three were arrested in the parking lot of the adjacent Danny's Drive Inn as about 30 police officers attempted to handle a crowd that Buturla estimated Wednesday was about 1,000 people.

D'Amato said the jury was swayed when one of her clients incorrectly described the type of hat that Comensanas was wearing.

"The scene was chaotic," D'Amato said.

"People were being Tasered, slammed to the ground and bitten by dogs. All of the officers were shining lights in their faces. Those are circumstances where a misidentification can occur. But the jury didn't even think about it.''

Buturla said the jury understood "that these officers acted reasonably at all times in the face of a near-riot. We are pleased that the jury verdict vindicated these fine officers."